Two out of three proves double delight for Wade

Fleta Page

Trainer Scott Wade emerged from Queanbeyan races yesterday with two winners from three starts, but despite the outside odds of Rockaway Star ($13) and Belle de Heart ($10), the trainer from Menangle wasn't surprised.

''I thought they were both reasonable chances, they both placed at their last start and ran well, they both got beaten by under a length at their last start and I thought they were going quite well … but you're never too confident or anything with them and today I had a bit of luck,'' Wade said.

''Both got out and led from reasonable gates - one drew 6 and one drew 8, so not right out wide - I told the jockey [Natalie Lye] to go forward and she let both of them stride forward and they both fought on nice, I was very happy.''

Rockaway Star won the 1100-metre Benchmark 50 Handicap from barrier six, beating Spanish Shoes by a long head. ''He'd been a little bit unlucky a few times and nearly got there … so to get that with him was fantastic,'' Wade said.

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His next win with Belle de Heart proved a lucrative one, the four-year-old by Lonhro notched her first victory just weeks after joining his stable. ''We bought her out of the sales about six or eight weeks ago, from down at Inglis', so that was very good - she was only $1600, so it's a nice pick up. She was a little bit poor, a little bit light when we got her. She certainly thrived, put a lot of condition on and has done well at home. The quieter environment away from Warwick Farm seems to be suiting her.''

Belle de Heart won the 1460-metre Maiden Handicap by 2.5 lengths from favourite At Twilight, earning an $8200 winner's cheque. Wade's third horse couldn't complete his day, rank outsider Super de Lago ran last in the 1600-metre Benchmark 67 Handicap.